Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) and Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) provide standardized set of application programming interfaces (APIs)) for accessing databases. The databases can include Oracle, DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM Lotus Domino, MySQL, and PostgreSQL, to name a few examples. In general, the standard APIs are designed to be independent of the particular database or the associated database management system (DBMS). Applications can be designed to employ these database independent APIs, or applications can be designed to use database dependent calls, such as those in the MySQL wire protocol or the Oracle Call Interface.